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A Study of the Effect of Time-of-day of Training on Chronic Patellar Tendinopathy

Tendinopathy: Optimal Time for Management Through Exercise (TENDOTIME) - a Randomised Controlled Study Comparing Targeted Training Performed Morning and Late Afternoon in a 12-week Intervention Program on Chronic Patellar Tendinopathy

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06217432
Acronym
TENDOTIME
Enrollment
70
Registered
2024-01-22
Start date
2024-01-10
Completion date
2025-12-31
Last updated
2024-01-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Jumper's Knee, Tendinopathy

Brief summary

The study is a 12-week human study where 60 participants with chronic patellar tendinopathy (more than 3 months symptoms duration) are randomised to undergo 12 weeks of targeted resistance exercise either in the morning or in the late afternoon. The overall aim is to investigate when the best time of the day to perform muscular strength training therapy towards tendinopathy is. The study will also include 10 healthy controls who will not perform any exercise training.

Interventions

The exercise will be started at 60% of 1 repetition maximum (RM) and progressed to 75% of 1 RM during the first 3 weeks and maintained throughout the intervention period. The exercise will be performed slowly (6 s/ repetition).

Sponsors

Bispebjerg Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Sports active men and women * Age (18-55) years old * BMI (18.5-30) * Uni- or bilateral patellar tendinopathy * Symptom onset \>90 days ago

Exclusion criteria

* Patellar tendinopathy longer than 24 months * Previous surgery in the knee on the ipsilateral side * Corticosteroid injection in the patellar tendon on the ipsilateral side within the last 6 months * Any confounding diagnosis to the knee joint * Known arthritis * Known diabetes * Known rheumatic disorders * Inability to follow rehabilitation or complete follow-ups * Enrolled in a resistance based-rehabilitation program for the affected patellar tendon within the previous 3 months * Have an occupation where it is not feasible to avoid pain provoking tasks * Pregnancy * Have sleeping disorders or disruptions, e.g., night shift work * Use of medicines or supplements known to affect collagen synthesis or sleep

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Patient perception VISA-PChange from baseline at week 12.Change in Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - patella (VISA-P) total score. The VISA-P asses symptoms, function and the ability to participate in sport. It consists of 8 questions, with a maximum score of 100 indicating the person is asymptomatic and fully per-forming and lower scores indicating more symptoms and limitations of function and activity.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Patient perception VISA-PChange from baseline at week 52.Change in Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - patella (VISA-P) total score. The VISA-P asses symptoms, function and the ability to participate in sport. It consists of 8 questions, with a maximum score of 100 indicating the person is asymptomatic and fully per-forming and lower scores indicating more symptoms and limitations of function and activity.
Self-reported improvement (GROC)Change from baseline at week 12 and 52.Self-reported improvement after treatment will be evaluated by the Global Rating of change (GROC) on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 'much improved' to 'much worse'.
Self-reported satisfaction (PASS)Change from baseline at week 12 and 52.Self-evaluated satisfaction with treatment result will be evaluated by Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 'very satisfied' to 'very unsatisfied'.
Counter movement jump heightChange from baseline at week 52.Jump height during counter movement jump test will be used to assess patellar tendinopathy caused functional deficits.
Pain during single-leg decline squat (SLDS)Change from baseline at week 12 and 52.Participants performed a decline squat on a 25°decline board and reported pain using an 11 point numeric rating scale (NRS) upon completion, with 10 being the worst imaginable pain and 0 denoting no pain.
Ultrasonography - tendon thicknessChange from baseline at week 12 and 52.Grey scale ultrasonography will be used for evaluation of patellar tendon thickness.
Ultrasonography - power DopplerChange from baseline at week 12 and 52.Doppler ultrasonography will be used for evaluation of patellar tendon vascularization/blood flow.
Patient perception VISA-P truncatedChange from baseline at week 12 and 52.Change in Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - patella (VISA-P) truncated score. The truncated score only including questions 2-6, with a maximum score of 50. Lower scores indicating more symptoms and limitations of function and activity.
Expression of circadian clock genesChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Changes in expression of circadian clock genes and known tendon clock target genes by tendon tissue biopsies measured in the bulk RNA by RNA sequencing and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
Expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM regulator genesChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Changes in expression of ECM and ECM regulator genes by tendon tissue biopsies measured in the bulk RNA by RNA sequencing and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
Global expression of genesChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Unbiased examination of global changes in expression of genes by tendon tissue biopsies measured in the bulk RNA by RNA sequencing.
Histochemical staining of tendon sectionsChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Morphology of tendon tissue regions, including cells and blood vessels, measured by histochemical and immunohistochemical stainings of tendon tissue biopsies.
Spatial changes of gene expressionChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Unbiased examination of global changes in expression of genes in regions of interests of tendon tissue biopsies measured by spatial transcriptomics.
Spatial changes of extracellular matrix protein levelsChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Unbiased examination of global changes in levels of extracellular matrix proteins in regions of interests of tendon tissue biopsies measured by spatial transcriptomics.
Blood samplesChange from baseline at week 12, compared to healthy controls.Identification of potential biomarkers of tendon injury and repair by metabolomics and proteomics.
Lean mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometryChange from baseline at week 12.Change in quadriceps lean muscle mass by DEXA.

Countries

Denmark

Contacts

Primary ContactChloé Yeung, PhD
ching-yan.chloe.yeung@regionh.dk004561461988

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026